The Vanderburgh County Commissioners were sort of apologetic about passing an anti-abortion ordinance in secret. The ordinance purports to prohibit doctors without hospital privileges from conducting an abortion. They said maybe it would have been better to have let people know the ordinance was about abortion and take public comments before passing the ordinance. But, they weren’t going to change it.
I think they just bought themselves a bunch of legal bills. The practice of medicine is heavily regulated by the State, and, where there is state regulation, it is not uncommon for local government to be preempted from attempting to regulate in the same area. (Greater elaboration on the principle is here in this commentary on Morgan and Perry Counties’ attempts to create “certificate of need” requirements before permitting construction of medical facilities.)
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